Modem cotton harvesters include relatively large high volume receptacles that are mounted to the frame of the harvester for receiving and holding harvested cotton materials received from cotton harvester row units mounted on the frame. The receptacle typically includes a lower basket portion with an upper basket portion mounted thereon for elevational movement under the influence of drivers between a field working position and a retracted storage position.
A conventional cotton harvester further includes conveying duct structure that extends upwardly from the cotton harvesting row units mounted on the frame of the harvester. To optimize receptacle capacity, the cotton conveying duct structure extends to a top forward portion of the upper basket portion wherein one or more openings are provided that register with the cotton conveying structure. To promote the delivery of cotton from the duct structure into the receptacle, the upper basket portion includes a hood assembly that extends vertically over and partially about the discharge end of the duct structure. The hood assembly includes rigid hood structure that extends from the top forward portion of the basket. The hood assembly typically includes cleaning grate structure for allowing dirt, dust and debris blown from the duct structure along with the harvested cotton materials to be separated from the harvested cotton materials that are retained in the basket.
Although beneficially increasing the capacity of the receptacle, maintaining the upper basket portion in a field working position presents certain problems and drawbacks. Because of shipping size limitations, the upper basket portion must be moved to its retracted storage position when the harvester is freighted by rail or truck. Because of power lines and the like, the increased height of the receptacle provided with the upper basket portion in a raised field working position, makes it difficult to transport the harvester from one location to another. Moreover, the normal height of barn doors makes moving the harvester indoors for repairs or storage a problem because of the increased height added to the receptacle by the upper basket portion.
While the height of the duct structure can exceed the desired transportation height of the harvester, lowering the upper basket portion to a retracted position involves a significant amount of effort to disassemble portions of the receptacle. As mentioned, a portion of the hood structure of the hood assembly was arranged to extend over and surround the upper end of the duct structure. Accordingly, each hood structure comprising the hood assembly needs to be removed before the upper basket portion can be lowered to a retracted position. A customer, for example, who desires to transport his cotton harvester from one location to another must often spend a considerable number of man hours in tearing down and setting up the receptacle, thereby reducing the overall productivity of his harvester.
Thus, there is a need and a desire for a large capacity receptacle for a cotton harvester that is designed to accommodate shipping and transportation of the harvester and which obviates the need for tearing down and setting up the hood assembly in response to the position of the upper basket portion of the receptacle.